Nursing shortages and migration: a two-decade study of Ireland’s dependence on migrant nurses

TL;DR

Ireland has relied heavily on migrant nurses for over two decades due to shortages and needs to boost domestic training and workforce planning to become self-sufficient.

Contribution

The study provides a two-decade analysis of Ireland’s reliance on migrant nurses and proposes solutions for workforce self-reliance.

Findings

Over 50% of registered nurses in Ireland from 2003–2022 were migrants.

Domestic nurse training has not kept pace with demand, leading to continued reliance on international recruitment.

A robust nurse workforce planning system is needed to improve retention and self-sufficiency.

Abstract

•Ireland continues to rely on migrant nurses and will continue to do so.•Urgency to increase the domestic training of Irish nurses and midwives.•A need to develop a robust nurse workforce planning system.•A radical measure effected for self-reliance.

Ireland continues to rely on migrant nurses and will continue to do so.

Urgency to increase the domestic training of Irish nurses and midwives.

A need to develop a robust nurse workforce planning system.

A radical measure effected for self-reliance.

There has been global concern about nursing shortages and nurse migration, as nurses move in search of better working conditions. Ireland is one of the countries facing nursing shortages. Ireland, like many other countries, has begun to rely heavily on migrant nurses. This study examines the recent trends in the nursing workforce and possible contributing factors to Ireland’s dependence on international nurse recruitment, drawing insights from existing data and literature.

This paper integrates and analyses secondary data obtained from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) 2003–2022 and data from the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI, registration register (2015–2022). The population data of Ireland was obtained from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The data available indicates a heavy reliance on migrant nurses due to a shortage of Irish-trained nurses relative to increased demand for nurses in the period (2003–2022). More than 50% of the Nurses registered in that period were migrant nurses (EU and Non-EU).

There is an urgent need for Ireland to increase the domestic training of nurses and midwives, as well as, a need to develop a robust nurse workforce planning system to improve retention and ensure nursing workforce self-sufficiency.

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